Synonymous with life, music is the journey, not the destination. I had to remind my student, Curly, of this a few months ago as he came to me wanting to end his lessons because they were simply too hard. He had been working on a piece of music for an upcoming exam at the end of the semester. Our conversation led us to find a way to bring his motivation and focus back on music itself. He stated he just wanted to be playing Star Wars all day. As an educator, I took the opportunity to teach him the Star Wars theme. The following weeks, he was back in the studio and ready to learn the Imperial March and Princess Leia’s Theme. This would continue throughout our lessons and by the time his exam date came around, he was ready to play. He took out his music, took a breath and played through his piece perfectly.
Keep scrolling for 6 pointers to finding motivation in online music lessons:
1 - What “Sparks Joy?”
Remember the excitement you felt when you stepped into Grandma Mae’s house and smelled her delicious peach pie. Music is the same way. What excites you? Maybe it’s a catchy new pop song, or perhaps a second line New Orleans jazz band. The goal is to find music that, as Marie Kondo puts it, “sparks joy”. And like food, not all music sparks joy. Do you remember the dreaded liver and onions on Monday night?
2 - Expand your Identity
“I used to take clarinet lessons but I hated it and I was no good.” In some form, this statement has been made by millions of people. Whether in after school piano class, trombone lessons with a local musician, or community orchestra. Becoming a musician tends to be associated with one particular negative experience that leads to a lifetime of discouragement. Have faith in yourself! Is it wise to join the local mariachi band, play guitar with a Jimi Hendrix song, or bring a saxophone to Carmen’s garage jam band? Absolutely! With the addition of music, life only gets better. In my ten years of teaching I have never met anyone who is incapable of playing music and I am sure I never will.
3 - Skip the scales (for now)
Practicing a musical instrument can seem more cumbersome than daunting. An activity more suited for Buddhist monks or Hindu cows. Who has the patience to play a C major scale three times with a metronome? Ugh. The irony is there is no musical tyrant forcing you to do anything. You were excited about that new and exciting song, not some annoying C major scale. Start with the song. I promise there will be a time to play all of the major scales. Remember Curly and his Etude?
4 - Share and Document
One of the most useful tools on Zoom is the record button. I tell all my students to keep a labeled folder of recorded lessons and a labeled folder for all recorded performances. Did I mention to LABEL? Next is to share it! The world needs to hear it! Put it on social media or send it to family and friends. How proud is Grandma Mae going to be when she opens up a video of you playing her favorite piece?!!!
5 - Broaden Your Horizons
Most people only listen to the same few songs from one single genre. It’s tiresome to play your “favorite” record over and over. When you discover a new artist, remember to take note of the name. This will lead to future discoveries. For example, after hearing Kind of Blue, not only did I discover Mikes Davis, I set sail on future expeditions in jazz!
6 - Take advantage of daily life
Think of all the special occasions that occur every year... there’s a lot. Birthdays, Holidays, New Years, etc. Every occasion has music associated with it. Perform Silent Night for your family on Christmas. Sing a love song for your girlfriend on Valentine’s Day. Learn Auld Lang Syne for New Years. And I know Grandma Mae would love it if you played Happy Birthday for her on her special day!
Closing thoughts
A colleague who has been hiring music teachers for 25 years told me about the two types of teachers he encounters. Teacher A teaches their students to learn an Etude perfectly. Teacher B asks what music interests the student and caters a lesson plan. At the final recital, Teacher A’s students take the stage and perform the Etude flawlessly. Teacher B’s students stumble a bit but perform their various songs with excitement. The next semester Teacher B walks into a chattering class of aficionados. Teacher A walks into an empty classroom. None of Teacher A’s students cared to continue. Can you blame them? Why suffer through liver and onions when you can enjoy delicious peach pie?
